The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-22

! He got bit OF stone and drove the hinges
back to place making as little noise as pos
sible Then he closed IL on its wooden
| latch But some underlined Difference TO the
late wishes of that man on tie floor kept
him from putting up bar.
1t also came to his mind that he would
have to go to Gallagher's for help. So think
| ing, he Logan to put on his tattered over
coat and wrap his feet and legs. The woman
sat STILL moaning, with her eyes fixed on
the face against her shoulder.
| When Steve was ready, he preached the
subject of his gong to her, but she scarcely
seemed TO hear. So he went out. carefully
shutting the door behind him, and breasted
| the snow.
At the post-mortem examination 1t ap-
| peared that the pistol ball had ranged up
ward through the brain. The body was
brought on litter across the snow and the
mountain next dry and undertakers came
from Portland to embalm and inciose it for
| its last journey.
1t was clear to the minds OF the lone
mans chums that he was not responsible
for what had taken place in his cabin But
the wretched widow was so beautiful and
the rumors of her wealth so great, that one
hardened youth after another led Steve into
private corners there to poke him with
their thumbs or wink at him, until his rage
owly rose to red heat
Until her friends arrived she depended
upon the lone man He enlisted the Gal
az hers to shelter and watch over her like a
child and he bore all the brunt of inquiry.
He telegraphed to the addresses she gave
him, and solemnly escorted from the train
to her door a group who arrived at the end
OF two days
And very grand people they were 4 SEN
ator, and a judge, q millionaire and the
judges wife. woman almost as beautiful
as the widow. They made brief lingering,
but the inhabitants were able to esther
some satisfaction from them The judge,
who did the talking, admitted that the de-
ceased had been subject to violent moods
and at such times his wife stood in extreme
terror of him The Judge was in state of
complacent resignation He said he was
glad the fellow would never be abl0to chase
that young girl as far from home again.
She had run before and had always taken to
the wilderness He did not like to kick a
man when q man was down, but truth was
mighty and would prevail, and the truth
in this case was that the deceased ought to
have f1ourished his pistol in his own face
long before he did
The lone man stood on the railroad plat
form and helped lift a long box into the
baggage car while the widow and her
friends were enbarking. He was too shy
to bid her farewell, and she allowed herself
TO be helped to her place Us if she had for
gotten him. Bus she had not forgotten him.
She threw up her window and drew him
with reckoning fingers
Steve came slouching under the window.
u. IL
liful face which seemed to look beyond him.
Goodbye, Mr.. Darrymore Thank you"
she said, taking hold of his hand
The lone man felt that she left paper
in h S hand, but he gave no sign of having
received any thing until the tram had
steamed away, and was lost among the
windings of the hills The lone man then
went cautiously up the mountain bit, and
stood behind rock TO unfold his relic.
1t was a draft from Antonio Smith to
Stephen Barrymore, for sum of
money far beyond his modest dreams of
wealth.
He was too shrewd to brag about it, or
show the token in its unsubstantial state
He went next day to Portland, and pre-
scented it at bank, where it was duly
honored And, shortly thereafter, his
chums around Galaghers were telling each
other that Sieve Barrymore had thrown up
his claim, and gone to San Francisco, and
that was the last that would be heard of
Steve Barrymore on the Columbia
1t was not the last, however For, the
next year, n salmon packer went down to
San Francisco, and happened to meet the
lone man So he had a Christmas nights
story to tell OF him at Glagher's next
ball
Why, Steye's getting rich down there,
boys" said this envoy. He showed me u
building he owned, and he's got an Office
that's carpeted, and he deals in stocks, and
them big fellers seem to know him he
wears blue neckties, and it leaked out he's
takin' dancin' lessons, and, with all that,
he's the uneasest miserable fellow you
ever saw. 1 didn't say any thing, but /
knowed he was after that Widow Smith,
you recollect; and I'll bet, before he gets
through his little dance, he'll wish he was
back on the lone mans old claim, with his
toes to the cabin fire once more"
MARY HARTwELL CATHERwooD